Starting and reversing arrangement for internal-combustion engines



GQH. Huss Aug. 6, 1929.

STARTING AND REVERSING ARRANGEMENT FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION. ENGINES Filed Nov. 10, 1921 n l WI 7] II/AQ i Patented Aug. 6, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GUSTAF IIJALMAR HUSS, 0F STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN, ASSIGNOR TO BERGSUNDS MEKANISKA VERKSTADS AKTIEBOLAG, OF STOCKHOLIM, SWEDEN.

STARTING AND REVEBSING ARRANGEMENT FOB INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES.

Application filed November 10, 1921, Serial No. 514,383, and in Sweden November 30, 1920.

The arrangement according to the present invention refers to the starting of internal combustion engines, whether such starting is for forwards or backwards running and the invention has for its purpose to avoid the resistance caused by the compression of the air or driving gas mixture within the cylinder or cylinders one or more times before the motor commences to ignite in the normal Way. By the abnormally high pressure then produced, a greatpart of the power required for starting is consumed to no use and moreover, such pressure subjects the motor mechanism to severe stresses.

By the arrangement according to the illvention, this unnecessarily high compression pressure is neutralized during the starting operation, until the motor has attained such a high rate of speed, that is to say, until the fly wheel or other movable engine parts have attained so great an amount of kinetic energy that the motor is then capable of operating normally.

The invention is characterized by a device arranged to bring the working space of the motor cylinder or cylinders in communication with the atmosphere during one or more com pression strokes, while the said device interrupts this communication during the working stroke.

By this arrangement starting may take place Withouta compression resistance and thus it will be possible to start a boat motor, without the propeller having to be disconnected when starting, provided, of course, that the compressed air or manoeuvring gas is powerful enough to turn the propeller against the resistance of the water. Thus itwill also be possible to effect a reversal in the same manner as in a common steam engine, that is to say, by stopping the motor before reversin g same, and then causing the reversal without disconnecting the propeller. i

The accompanying drawing illustrates an embodiment of the invention. Fig. 1 is an elevation with the principal parts of. the arrangement shown in vertical section. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section on an enlarged scale of one of the valves in the motor or engine, the same being shown in closed position.

Fig. 4 is a similar view of the valve, the latter being shown in open position.

As shown in the drawing the invention is adapted for a two-cylinder two-stroke motor having the cranks displaced by an angle of 180. The motor is adapted for starting with compressed air or compressed gas, or so called manoeuvring gas.

The arrangement comprises three main parts, namely the valve chamber 1, the dis tributor 2 and the valve gears 3 and 1 in the motor cylinders 5 and 6. Each valve has coiled about its stem 31 a spring 32 situated between a fixed part 33 and abutment 3s secured. to said stem. The spring 32 tends to maintain the'valve closed. Attached to the valve stem 31 is a plate 35 provided with a diametrically extending groove adapted to receive diametricallyopposed cam lugs 37 on a ring 38 which is rotatable on thestein 31 and rigidly connected with an arm, the arm of the valve 3 being indicated at :24 and the arm of the valve 4 at 25. The arms 2% and 25 are connected by a rod 26 and when rotated by means of a lever 9 and connecting link 27,

. the rings 38 are rotated, the lugs 37 being then either turned out of the grooves 36 whereby the valves are opened as shown in Fig. 4, or back into the grooves whereby the valves are closed as shown in Fig. 3. 39designates a storage receptacle for compressed air. The valve chan'il'mr 1 is provided with the inlet 7 for the nianmuvering gas. ltotalably arranged in the valve chamber is a rotary control valve 8, adapted to be oscillated to and. fro through an angle of 90 by means of the hand lBVGIQ. The rotary control valve provided with a central opening 10 and with three passages 11, 12 and 13 leading to the said opening 10, the latter having extending therethrough a conduit 14. Rotatably arranged in the casing of the distributor 2 is the rotary distributing valve 15 which rotates continuously in timed relation tothe motor shaft. The valve 15 is provided with two adapted for forward running (the forwards channel), while the channel 17 is adapted for running in'the reversed direction (the reversing channel). Extending through the valve chamber 1 between the valve 15 and the rotary control valve 8 are two channels 18 and 19,-

the channel 18 corresponding to the forwards channel 16 of the valve, while the channel 19 corresponds to the reversing channel 17 thereof. Arranged in the wall of the distrlbutor 2 are two channels 20 and 21 communicating each with its separate motor cylinder 5 and respectively, by means of the pipings 22and 23 respectively.

When the motor is to be started forforward running, the lever 9 is moved into the position shown in the drawing, therebyopening both valves 3 and 4 as above described andthe rotary control valve 8 bein then adjusted so that the passage 11 thereof is brought to register with the inlet 7 for the manoeuvring gas, while the passage 13 is brought to register with the channel 18, and the conduct late register with the channel 19 as well as with an exhaust opening 28 provided in the valve chamber 1. At the beginning of the starting operation the valve has such a position that the forward or reversin channel is situated 0 osite the 0 ening of any one of the channels 20 or 21.

On manoeuvring gas enteringthrough the inlet7, the same passes throughthe opening 10, the passage 13, the channel 18, the forward channel 16 and when the latter is brought to register with the channel 20, the said gas passes further through this channel and'through the piping 23 to the cylinder 6 in which the piston performs its working stroke. On the manoeuvring gas entering the cylinder 6, the piston of the cylinder 5 performs its compression stroke after the manoeuvring 'gas previously let into the cylinder 5 has first escaped in known manner, wholly or partly, through the exhaust opening in the wall of the cylinder, said outlet opening exposed by the piston. By the working space being in communication with the atmosphere during the subsequent'compression stroke, the atmospheric air or any residue of combusted gas contained in the said space cannot be compressed, that is to say, cause any resistance in' starting. The reason for this is' that the air or gas in the cylinder may be expelled through the open valve, the piping 22, the channel21, the reversing chan nel 17 the channel 19, the conduit 11and the exhaust 28. When the starting operation is continued, the air or driving gas mixture is supplied to the cylinder 5, and during the compression stroke the working space of the cylinder 6 remains in' communication with the atmosphere, if the kinetic energy of the fly wheel has not yet become suiliciently great to permit of ignition.

When the kinetic energy required for the normal working of the motor has been :\ltained, so that the compression required for ignition can then be produced, the level 9 is changed over to the neutral position indicated at A in the drawing. The rotary control valve 8 is then cutting off all the channels cooperating therewith during the starting operation.

During the starting operation, fuel is obviously supplied continuously, and for each compression stroke, the ignition means of the separate cylinders act in such a manner, that the motor will start immediately at the proper moment.

The above description with respect to the forwards startin of the motor evidently holds good also or starting in the reversed direction, with the difl'erence only that the manoeuvring gas is su )plied into the reversing channel owing to the rotary control valve being then in an extreme position opposei'l to the one shown in the drawing, whereas the gas or air exhausted from the cylinders 5 and 6 during the starting operation flow through the forwards channel and the channel 18 and the conduit 14 whose outer end is then in communication with the exhaust port 29 in the valve chamber 1.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. A device for starting and reversing internal combustion engines by means of compressed air adapted, during the normal operation of the engine to be out of operation, comprising a distributor including a casing and a valve member therein rotating in synchronism with the engine, the distributor having ports therein for connection with the respective cylinders of the en ine, said valve member being provided witi two conduits separated from each other and adapted to register with said ports whereby to effect, successively, the one induction into, and the other exhaust from each engine cylinder, and a multiple-way device including a casing having inlet and exhaust ports and an adjustable ported member adapted when adjusted for forward or reverse operation of the engine to effect induction of compressed air to one con duit of the first mentioned member and exhaust of waste gas from the other conduit of said member.

2. An arrangement as claimed in claim 1 characterized by the adjustable member of the mi1ltiple\vay device being so arranged with respect to the inlet and exhaust ports thereof that when the engine operates in the normal way subsequent to the completion of the starting operation, the said device is adjusted into such position as to close the inlet and exhaust ports.

3. The combination with an arrangement as claimed in claim 1, of an engine having cylinders provided with normally closed valves,

means for operating the multiple-Way device, and means connecting the 0 crating means with the engine valves Where y to automatically open the latter coincident with the opening of the inlet and exhaust ports of the multiple-way device and permitting the engine valves to close When the adjustable ported member of the multipleqvay device is moved to inoperative position.

4. The combination with an arrangement as claimed in claim 1, of an engine and means connecting the cylinders of the engine with the ports of the distributor casing, said distributor and multiple-Way device being m ranged remotely to the engine.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

GUSTAF HJALMAR HUSS. 

